


In a Heartbeat

by opalescent_cheetah



Category: RuPaul's Drag Race RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, F/F, Fluff, Inspired by In a Heartbeat (Short Film)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-21
Updated: 2020-02-21
Packaged: 2021-02-28 06:40:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,714
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22829596
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/opalescent_cheetah/pseuds/opalescent_cheetah
Summary: "It doesn’t matter how long she’s felt this way; every time she sees Bianca feels like the first time. Her heart sings, stealing all her ability to speak, rendering her stupidly breathless. This time is no different."Courtney has a crush on the girl with the sapphire eyes, and today is the day she is finally going to tell her.Things do not go quite as she plans.
Relationships: Courtney Act/Bianca Del Rio
Comments: 2
Kudos: 18





	In a Heartbeat

**Author's Note:**

> The world needs more Bitney so here’s a little something based off of the short film In a Heartbeat. I wrote this for the Be Mine Week challenge, hosted by writethehousedown on tumblr (https://writethehousedown.tumblr.com/), for the prompt Heart.
> 
> And of course, a big thank-you to @veronicasanders for beta-ing and always being so supportive!

_There she is._

_Oh my god, there she is._

Courtney’s heart thuds rapidly in her chest as she less-than-gracefully dives behind a bush. Sharp branches poke her spine, but she hardly notices around the tingling of her skin, the persistent ache behind her ribs. 

_Today’s the day. You can do this._

It doesn’t matter how long she’s felt this way; every time she sees Bianca feels like the first time. Her heart sings, stealing all her ability to speak, rendering her stupidly breathless. This time is no different. 

_She’s so beautiful._

Courtney peers out from behind a tree as Bianca wanders past, bouncing an apple in one hand and holding open a book with the other. She seems to glow in the early morning light, with her thick, dark hair pulled up into a ponytail and the blue plaid school dress swishing around her knees. As much as Courtney loathes the uniform, she can appreciate how it brings out Bianca’s sapphire eyes. She’s one of the only students who can wear the ugly, ill-fitting garment and still manage to look like a million dollars. 

And suddenly Bianca is pausing, lowering her book, and Courtney’s heart nearly stops when she looks around with narrowed eyes. She ducks back behind the tree, hoping desperately that Bianca didn’t see her watching. She can’t let herself ruin this, not today, not when she’s waiting for the perfect moment. 

Courtney is suddenly aware of how fast her heart is thudding. It’s almost as though there is a racehorse in her chest, sprinting down the track, hooves clattering loudly along her ribs. Bianca can probably hear the stadium that’s roared to life in her brain. Hands trembling, Courtney leans back against the sturdy trunk of the tree, waiting for Bianca to move on and forget she ever noticed anything out of the ordinary. 

She waits until her heart rate has slowed before she peers out again. Running through her pep talk in her head, she shakes the tension from her shoulders and skips, as casually as possible, back out onto the path. She’s just behind Bianca now, close enough to smell her perfume. 

“Hey! Bianca!”

_You’ve got this. Just talk to her. You can do this, Courtney!_

“Oh, hey, Courtney.” Bianca smiles warmly at her, dimples appearing in her cheeks, and Courtney quite nearly swoons. “What’s up?”

“Not - not much.” Now that she’s here, Courtney’s tongue is suddenly dry. Bianca’s eyes are so piercing, Courtney feels like she’s been cleaved in two. Half of her wants to run away with her tail between her legs, every word she’d prepared left abandoned, whilst the other half wants to at least _try_ and talk to Bianca, to stay standing despite the fact that her bones have turned to jelly. 

Her heart hums quietly and makes the decision. She steps closer, twirling a lock of blonde hair around her finger. “I was just wondering if--”

“Heeey! Queen B!” 

Suddenly there’s an arm being slung around Bianca’s shoulder. Courtney tenses, eyeing the newcomer up and down - it’s Adore Delano, looking like she’s just gotten out of bed and downed three coffees to get to school on time. 

“Bianca,” Adore says, grabbing her arm, “you gotta come with, I need to show you these _psycho_ text messages I got last night. Shit is getting _real_.” 

Bianca offers Courtney an apologetic smile. “Sorry, Courtney. Come find me later, okay?” 

_Fuck_. Courtney can only watch as Bianca turns and trails after Adore. Failure rests heavy in her chest, hard and black and ugly. Her tongue still feels like lead. 

~

It might be hours before she moves again, trudging heavily up the stone steps into school. It’s silly, she thinks, to feel like such a failure when she didn’t _really_ fail - and yet here she is, heart aching, lacking the confidence to try again. Not when it’s so easy for Bianca to get distracted.

She pushes open the door and stops at the sight of Bianca, sprawled over on the floor, scowling. Courtney doesn’t hesitate before running over and offering her a hand.

She isn’t prepared for the shock and vulnerability she sees in Bianca’s eyes. Bianca takes her hand, sighing quietly as Courtney pulls her to her feet. 

“Thank you,” she mutters, refusing to meet Courtney’s stare. 

“That’s - that’s okay.” Courtney is uncomfortably aware of how close they are, of how her hand burns where it has touched Bianca’s. She watches Bianca turn away slightly, sees her glaring defiantly at--

_Oh. Oh shit._

Courtney’s heart leaps into her throat. They’re surrounded by people, an ocean of blue plaid and leering glares and suddenly the hallway feels too small, the air is tight, heavy, and Courtney’s mind is racing, her lungs aren’t working--

She runs. 

She turns and bolts, scrambling through the door and back out under the open sky. It isn’t until she’s returned to the shelter of the tree that she goes through meditative exercises in her head, taking a moment just to breathe. 

Her heart is aching now with remorse and the bitter aftertaste of terror. She’s seen this all before, heard the slurs and insults they’ve flung so ruthlessly at Bianca since the day she came out. No matter how many times she’s watched it happen, she can’t seem to find the courage to stand defiantly beside Bianca, to show her she’s not alone, and it tears her apart with guilt. Instead, she hides in the shadows of the other students, her own secret locked away in the farthest reaches of her mind, back where nobody can see it. 

“Courtney?”

Courtney’s eyes snap open to meet an azure stare. She hates seeing the sadness in the face she’s come to love so much. 

“Shit, girl, I’m really sorry.” Bianca slides onto the ground beside Courtney, dry leaves crackling beneath her dress. Her voice is unusually heavy, her eyes downcast, and there’s a sting of pain behind Courtney’s ribs. She doesn’t deserve her, doesn’t deserve Bianca’s pity after all those times she left her standing alone. 

“Don’t be sorry,” she manages, throat still tight. “I just can’t believe they’re still on about that shit.” 

“Well, _I_ can’t believe you’re still surprised,” Bianca huffs bitterly. “Come on, you know the drill. It’s a private girls’ school filled with privileged white Americans - what the fuck else did you expect?”

Courtney isn’t prepared for her words to feel so harsh. 

“I don’t know,” she says quietly. “I guess I’ve just always thought that everyone had the ability to be kind and give other people a chance. Even privileged white Americans.” 

Bianca seems to see the hurt in Courtney’s eyes and suddenly her face softens. “I didn’t mean _you_ , pussyface,” she says, elbowing Courtney playfully. “You’re one of those weird cases - a privileged white American who _can_ give someone else a chance.”

“You bitch, I’m not even American!” Courtney shrieks, shoving her back. “Don’t tell me I’ve _already_ lost my accent!” 

Bianca cackles with laughter. 

“Either way, your dumb blonde ass looks the part,” she replies, and Courtney is relieved to see the sparkle returning to her eyes. 

“It’s not my fault I was blessed with these perfect genes,” she says, dramatically flipping her hair over her shoulder. 

“I take back everything I said,” Bianca deadpans. “You’re hopeless.”

Courtney giggles, and when they lapse into a companionable silence, she takes a chance, resting her palm on Bianca’s shoulder. 

“Are you sure you’re okay?” she asks, and Bianca’s gaze darts to her hand, but she doesn’t shrug it off.

“You shouldn’t worry about it,” she tells Courtney. “There’s not much you can do.” 

The defeat in Bianca’s voice hits Courtney with a pang of guilt. 

“I should’ve stood up for you back there. I’m sor--”

Bianca turns to her, gaze fierce, and Courtney’s words die in her throat. 

“Don’t. Don’t apologise for their ignorance, Courtney. It’s not your fault they’re fucking assholes.” 

Courtney swallows back another meek apology as she slides her hand back, and Bianca’s gaze pinches in something like regret. “Wasn’t there something you wanted to ask me earlier?” she asks, softer this time. 

Courtney’s heart stops. 

“I - uh - it was nothing, really.” She’s breathless suddenly, tripping over her words, her mind racing. “It’s not - not important.”

“I see. It’s so unimportant that you had to pull me aside at eight a.m. to talk to me,” Bianca comments wryly, the corner of her lip quirking upwards. “Delano won’t interrupt us here, you know.” 

Courtney has to look away from the teasing glint in Bianca’s eyes. “You’re not going to let up until I say something, are you?” she laughs nervously. 

Bianca arches an eyebrow, grinning. 

“Not just _something_ , girl, say whatever it is that’s turning you into a ripe tomato.”

_Oh, shit_. Courtney’s hands fly to her face. Her cheeks burn red-hot against her palms, and for a moment she wishes the ground would swallow her whole.

_Snap out of it. Now’s your chance… just say it, Courtney! It’s just a few words! Breathe, breathe…_

“I… uh… I was going to ask you if you wanted to go out for lunch this weekend,” Courtney blurts out, and her words are suddenly spilling from her mouth in a torrent. “’Cause I… I like you a lot, Bianca. I think you’re really cool, and - and smart, and I just--”

Bianca laughs softly, pressing the pad of her finger to Courtney’s lips. She’s smiling, dimples carved into her skin, and Courtney melts at the gentleness in her eyes. Joy overflows from her heart, once more glowing pink and warm, as Bianca pulls her close for a feathersoft kiss. 

Bianca’s lips are tender, careful, a butterfly’s breath against hers, and it’s everything Courtney has ever wanted. Her hand finds Bianca’s, still resting lightly against her cheek, and she holds it there even after they break apart. 

“So is that a yes to lunch?” Courtney whispers, breathless. 

“Depends what we’re having,” Bianca grins before dissolving into a fit of laughter. 

Courtney feels heat flood her skin. 

“Bianca!” she shrieks, but she can’t help the smile that tugs at the corner of her lips. 

“I’m kidding, I’m kidding.” Bianca’s joy is painted pink across the apples of her cheeks, pressed into the soft edges of her dimples. “Of course it’s a yes, pussyface.”


End file.
